Recently, while walking across campus, I noticed something written in the snow near Lied Recreation Athletic Center. Although I couldn’t make out the first word, I was certain that the other two words were “gay” and “is.” See if you can guess in which order they go.

I shook my head and continued walking, but it wasn’t 15 steps before my conscience caught up with me, and I immediately spun around and headed back to the drift.

Leaning down, I ran my fingers over the snow, smearing the message to the point that it became unreadable. Flicking and shaking the quickly melting water from my skin, I reached out and grabbed a nearby stick and dug it deep, creating my own message. I wrote the word “LOVE,” accompanied by a heart and peace sign, and smiled when I finished.

Fearful for what I thought was sure to happen to my proclamation, I’ve made sure to walk by Lied every day since. The other day, to my surprise and delight, not only was my message still there, but someone had added to it. Above my writing, someone wrote “God is,” turning my commie-pinko-hippie-liberal-secularist message into a religious one. More so than that, a distinctly Christian one.

Anyone who knows me would hardly call me a holy cow, or a holy anything for that matter. I have my own idea about the supernatural — who “God” is or is not, what it is or is not, and why it is or is not. In short: I’m not Christian and would be slightly displeased if people assumed I was or wanted me to become one.s

But I don’t hate the faith, and disagree with it as I might, I would never tell people they should change their beliefs to fit in better with mine. I would never try to change someone. Even with same-sex marriage — something I ardently support — I would never suggest that a church or religion be forced to so much as allow LGBT members in its congregation, let alone marry them. I might be disappointed, but I’d never force — or support something that forced — such actions. And no, same-sex marriage doesn’t do that despite what pundits may ominously warn, but that’s an entirely separate column. Or series of columns.

When I told some of my friends this, they asked what I did about the addition. I told them that, in turn, I added an exclamation point. You know, to help drive the point home.

They seemed stunned. They didn’t believe me, just as I’d wager those who’ve read some of my earlier and admittedly harsh columns about religion might not believe me. Why would someone who so fervently disagrees with a specific religion promote its message?

Because I mean it when I say I would never try to change someone. As wrong as I might believe someone to be, I can only say what I think and let that speak for itself. I can’t and won’t pursue an aggressive drive against something that person might hold as a vital element of his or her identity.

And it’s on that point, finally, we come to the news peg of this column. (Sorry it took so long. One of the drawbacks to writing about religion happens to be spending half the column covering your bases.)

Earlier this week, the group Atheist Agenda, at the University of Texas at San Antonio, began a “Smut for Smut” campaign, something that’s been going on for five years now. Atheist Agenda offers the following trade: A Bible or other religious text for a porno mag. They say it’s because the religious texts promote things like violence and degradation of women, and are therefore no better than pornography. The stunt is, quite frankly, disgusting, disappointing and infuriating.

It’s no better than the ridiculous and laughable assertion that Hollywood movies are anti-LGBT because they feature no obviously gay characters — apparently if you’re not prancing in a tutu while slurring your S’s or hacking off your long locks with a machete and donning a sudden flair for flannel, you’re disqualified from Gay Club. Or that we must make sure not to refer to masculine-gendered words as such, for example, “manpower” becomes “personpower.”

Or anything Perez Hilton says, ever.

If a group’s goal is to educate people, to show them that group’s view, this kind of behavior has no place in its efforts. This play by the Atheist Agenda is attention-seeking at its most grandiose, and childish nose-snubbing at its worst. If anybody supportive of Tom Short has wondered why so many people get upset about his visits (which will be this April 19-22, by the way), it’s because he strikes us like this “Smut for Smut” campaign likely strikes you.

Such action and showboating does nothing to create constructive discourse. It alienates and frustrates, offends and condescends, but that’s not what we need.

We don’t need this shouting match in which both sides just scream at each other. Sure, they can; it’s their right, but look, just because it’s your right to trade Bibles for porn/condemn people to Hell/eat an entire jar of mayonnaise in 100-degree weather doesn’t mean it’s the smart, constructive or responsible thing to do.

By all means, don’t be terrified of being politically incorrect, but— time to follow my own advice— don’t be like Atheist Agenda and be total douchebags either.

Leave your writing on the wall. Or in the snow, as it were. I’m not asking you to change. Be who you are and believe what you believe.

I’m just asking you be mindful of peoples’ toes while you’re out dancing your jig on the corner.

Sophie Prell is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Alta.